54 исторические миниатюры и 29 переводов. Сборник
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– It's nice to understand, Mr. Baron, that you are in a good mood.
– Relatives do not forget. They sent a present.
– You're joking, Mr. Baron, but plan was not such simple. And unusual, and risky.
– - I understand. It isn't always appropriate to speak about serious questions with a joke. I will give the following argument as an excuse. One of the authors - seems to be the Briton, - published a book about great people. He writes that both the Industrial Revolution and the American and French revolutions occurred in the same historical era. And that the Industrial revolution had a much greater impact on the daily lives of people than any of these named political revolutions. This author believes that You, Mr. Academician, one of the most important personalities in history. Even Richard the Lionheart, composing the knightly ballad, couldn't write better!
After a short pause, the Baron has continued to speak out:
– Here I am talking with You, Mr. Academician, a man who - according to the logic of the author of one of the books about great people - is equivalent to a whole cohort of famous politicians. I ask, for example, to You a question: "How You have decided to begin Industrial revolution?". One of quite admissible versions of Your answer: "I have woken up, and I have started affairs. I began a campaign!". How to you my version, Mr. Academician?
– In something You are right, Baron. But about my personality You can read, at first, a biographic essay, secondly, chapter in the mentioned book on great people, thirdly, other publications. But about You is written briefly. 'Barons 'compelled' the King to sign a Charter'. It was written briefly and not clearly.
– And the Head of State, and we, initiators of the project, remembered history, an experience of our Great predecessor, the Duke, the gloomy legends which were connected with his death... Have understood circumstances of His death as a warning sign. Have decided to be engaged in improvement of the future. Have decided to work to improve the future in a timely manner.
It was clear that with weapons and violence all problems could not be solved. That justice, law and order are necessary. And less arbitrariness. And more development - in all spheres. At least on one separate Island. At this conception we came to the consent. So we agreed. Of course, it is more correct to tell that not we have compelled, but that "has compelled" us. History.
More precisely, History "taught" us and for us. She insisted persistently. And we have tried to be quick-witted and provident: we learned from History.
The Baron paused for a moment.
– As for political technology, Mr. Academician, we have previously remembered about the political culture of Ancient Rome... The procedure itself was in line with Island traditions. We arrived for an audience with all reverence. Short oral statements from representatives. Have submitted the written petition. Short discussion. The Head of State took time to ponder, for consultation with advisers. After some time,we heard an oral response and received signed copies of the Charter.
Both the initiators and the King swore that the Charter would be respected in good faith and without malice. Everything is businesslike and civilized. '...By the will of God and for the safety of our soul, and of the souls of all our predecessors and our heirs, to the honour of God and for the exalting of the holy church and the bettering of our kingdom...' The signing of the Charter was announced in the churches and on the squares of cities. So.
Someone will apply a word-combination: "Barons compelled the King ". And someone - "Barons impelled the King ".
– Sounds logically, Mr. Baron. But nevertheless something in your logic is missing. In many cases the history has gone significantly differently. In many, many, many...
– Your merit, Your achievement, Mr. Academician. They have political revolutions, we have the Industrial Revolution. In short, Mr. Academician, we, the inhabitants of the Island, were lucky.
By the way, in the aforementioned book about great men - the author seems to be the Briton, - says that the Britons possess a bigger contribution to a human civilization if to be compared with people from other regions or other nationalities. And that if to consider a share of Scots among the outstanding Britons, if to compare the number of natives of Scotland with a share of Scots in the general population of the globe, then concentration of talents and achievements in this country should be estimated as unique.
It sounds, of course, poetic, like a sonnet. And pleasantly. We will address the facts.
Let us take Your life as an example.You were born... Then, You were learning...Decent parents... Humane and developing education. A favourable social environment. The author of the biographical essay describes your childhood. Mentioned were also a house on the river in the maritime city, and the crane of work of Your father on local pier, and organ, made by Your father, in one of local churches.
Describes a workshop where next to joiner's workbenches and smithing furnaces were standing the whole collection of nautical telescopes, quadrants and other nautical instruments. All these things Your father not only sold these things, but he also repaired them by his own hands.
The author of the essay has mentioned, that Your father in the large ranks not wanted to climb. At least, he refused the title of chief judge and spent most of his time in his workshop or on the river bank. At the same time in his house next to the portraits of relatives on the walls he hung images of the luminaries of mathematical science, Isaac Newton and Napier, inventor of logarithms.
How did your life develop further? "Lunar society"... Cooperation with the University... The Great invention. "Happiness" of financial partnership... Business success. Quite good monetary capital as results of works... The glory... The place in the History...
The author of biographic essay about You expresses surprise at the sincere liking, the delicacy and the modesty, with which You and the people in Your environment have helped each other. But it 18th century! Century of many events. Epoch of wars, revolutions and social cataclysms. Epoch of calamities, hunger, violence, cruelties and bitterness!